My Favorite Sites

The raccoons have been a surprising and somewhat confusing group this year. Last year we had the mom and her little group of five babies. They were clearly together and came each night at about the same time.

This year we have a “come and go” group. Obviously some are from last year’s litter, one is the mom, and three are this year’s babies. However, they arrive at different times and from different directions. Two of the babies are practically joined at the hip, and the other one doesn’t even come with them at the same time, but usually arrives later with their mom. One of the older raccoons is quite aggressive toward the younger ones and won’t eat near them. I put dog food out in six different piles to try to prevent confrontations.

An older raccoon comes to dinner about 7 each evening. He doesn’t eat much, and quickly leaves. This always amazes me- there is a lot of food in the yard, but he never tries to eat all of it. These two pictured are usually next and they are little monkeys! They always arrive together, rolling and tumbling and exploring the yard before they settle down to eat. They usually eat the same way, the light one in front of the other. Next are the mom and the other sibling. Then three older ones arrive, so by the time we go to bed there are seven finishing off the last morsels of dog food. Then they move on to see what the birds have left in the feeders and the cat has left on the front porch. At least they leave the trash and the compost pile alone and that makes me happy!

These photos aren’t the greatest- shot through a window I seriously need to wash. Lol But I know you can see the personalities of these two mischievous critters.

I love to travel, and if FB is any indication so does everyone else. It’s enjoyable to see other places and to meet new people and have new experiences. It’s also great to get away from our normal routines and jobs and identities and just relax. So much of our day to day life is based on our career identities. The way people interact with us is often based on what we do and how they perceive that. Or it may even be based on our financial status, or church affiliation, or family relationships. But when we are out traveling I think we slip into our fundamental, childhood personality, especially if we are traveling alone or with a trusted companion and not a group. We often call this “letting our hair down”, which is an apt reference to being carefree and uninhibited. When I’m traveling I’m not “Mrs. Maurer”, teacher and grandmother. I’m just a woman enjoying the things I’ve always loved- nature and history.

Of course some people take this concept too far and become idiots when they travel. Instead of letting their hair down they embrace the idea of leaving their morals and their manners at home and behaving like mischievous children. The notion that no one knows them allows them to be rude and selfish. Thank goodness we don’t encounter too many of these characters, but I hope some of them realize that God travels with them!

So as we finish up the summer and you take that last vacation break, remember what your grandmother always told you-“play nice”!

I love water, especially the ocean. I love fish. I love aquariums. So a trip to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks is always enjoyable. I am amazed that our state, smack dab in the center of the U.S.A., has such a wonderful aquarium, but then again, billboards for Oklahoma advertize that we have more shoreline than the gulf and east coasts combined! You can hardly throw a stick in Oklahoma without hitting water!

Gary and I spent over two hours at the Oklahoma Aquarium and were once again informed and entertained by the variety of fish and other creatures displayed. They are currently building a new habitat for their sea turtles and also creating other new displays, so I guess a return trip will be in the works soon.

This is a great place for children and there are always LOTS of them, so if you want a quiet tour, don’t try this in the summer. Lol

P.S. Gary took all of the photos and I really have to give him credit for these. Tough conditions: dark rooms, crowds all around, reflective glass, fast-moving fish. (Albums for the CCC and the aquarium later today.)

I am not a Chickasaw. My family’s Native American heritage is Choctaw, Cherokee, and Seminole, but like many historians and genealogists I am fascinated by all of the tribal cultures that make up our unique state. So for many months I have been watching the television commercials for the Chickasaw Cultural Centerwith growing anticipation of a visit to see it for myself. That day finally arrived Wednesday! And I was not disappointed. It was certainly well worth the drive and will be worth another visit in the fall when the weather is cooler and more accommodating for outdoor activities.

We arrived early so we could stroll the grounds and see the gardens. The Aaholiitobli’ Honor Garden is a wonderful architectural and botanical tribute to those who have “helped shape the legacy of the Chickasaw people”. I love the way the garden incorporates water and stone. The paths are lovely!

There are water features in several locations. The sight and sound of the water was a welcome relief in July and despite the fact that the center is new, there are already several shaded areas on the property. However, the dance demonstration, usually held outdoors in the Kochcha’ Aabiniili’ Amphitheater was moved inside to the 350-seat Anoli’ Theater. What an impressive room! It has a 2,400 sq. ft. HD screen and very comfortable seating. We enjoyed the dance demonstration and were impressed by the friendliness of the staff.

The staff in all of the buildings and even those traveling to and fro around the grounds were friendly and helpful. They smiled and greeted people and offered assistance. We had to ask directions once and I noticed some other guests asking questions. That’s how we were made to feel…like guests, not tourists.

The109-acre site also includes a huge traditional village which can be viewed from the Aba’ Aanowa’ Sky Pavillion. The pavilion also offers a great view of the vegetable garden, which I understand will be better once they figure out how to keep the deer from sampling it.

Of course the heart of the complex is the Chikasha Poya Exhibit Center. The tour of the center begins with a short film and then the screen rises to reveal the spirit forest, a totally interactive room where the seasons change, the moon rises and the stars come out, and the sounds of animals set the mood for traditional Chickasaw stories told in three areas.

The center has two features which are being used in many modern museums and I just love both of them. One is a “sit and listen” video area. These are placed throughout the exhibit hall. Each little alcove has seating for about four people. They are motion activated so as you go inside the video starts playing and you get a mini-lesson about Chickasaw medicine, tribal history, crafts, etc. Each one was brief and informative. The other feature is “language learning stations”. You can hear a Chickasaw word used alone, then in a sentence. Then you can repeat it into a microphone and practice it.

All of the exhibits were informative and in a chronological and historical sequence that made the history of the nation comprehensible even to those with no prior knowledge of Native American history. There are features that appeal to adults and those that captivate children. I watched and listened to several of the younger visitors and they seemed to enjoy the center as much as we did.

Demonstrations and classes are held at the center to showcase crafts such as weaving and bow making. You can also sample traditional foods in the Aaimpa’ Café. The gift shops sell a good variety of souvenirs, books, foods, and clothing. We spent about three hours at the center and probably would have spent a little more time outside if it had been cooler.

If you are in Oklahoma I encourage you to plan a trip. The Chickasaw Cultural Center is located on Charles Cooper Memorial Road, Sulphur, Ok. You can go to their website for directions.

Started out the day with my usual bird feeding, watering, bunny visit, etc. Took a few photos.

However, when I started in on my morning kitchen chores I got a rude surprise. We still use ice trays, and each morning I dump six of them into a large container. Well, this morning two of the cubes were stuck, I gave an extra yank, and one of the ice cubes hit me in the face just above my eye. Actually left a bleeding scratch! Injury by ice cube- too funny!

Went to the new library in Durant to return some books and look for a biography in one of the older Oklahoma history books. I am so pleased with the new library! They have made so many improvements and it is so beautiful and comfortable.

Next, I drove to the court house in search of a will from 1933. (Yes, those are still in storage.) I couldn’t park because an older woman had apparently fallen in the street and another woman was helping her up. Two men were also in the middle of the road and a service truck was parked at an angle. I waited in the middle of the street because there was no place else to go. In less than a minute a police car appeared and parked on the opposite side of the street. I could hear the older woman yelling across the street as soon as the officer got out of his car- “I’m okay. I’m fine. No, no, it’s okay.” Then the guy from the service truck tried to talk to her and she kept shaking her head. Pretty soon the guy got into his truck, parked behind the squad car, and started talking to the officer. The other woman talked the older one into walking across the street and at that point I could see that her elbow was bleeding. And I could finally park my truck, which I did.

I walked in to the courthouse and stopped at the first office to inquire about where I needed to go for the will. By the time I got back to the elevator a local attorney and the woman from the street were also getting in. She was still bleeding and seemed a little shaky. She started talking and told us that she had dropped her papers, bent down to retrieve them and the guy in the service truck had backed into her and knocked her to the street. She also explained that it “clearly wasn’t his fault” so she didn’t file a police report, and she wasn’t “really hurt” so she was just going to “finish my business upstairs before I go home”. OH MY! I was just speechless and so was the attorney. She popped out of the elevator before either of us could stop her and was off to complete her errand.

Please, friends and neighbors, if anything remotely similar to this ever happens to you, file the report and go to the doctor immediately. Her elbow could have been cracked or she could have had some injury that didn’t show up until hours later. I’m not sure why she was in such a hurry, but I wondered later in the afternoon if I should have been more assertive and followed her down the hall. Probably would have asked for a restraining order against me!

And speaking of restraining orders…let me just say that spending an hour and a half in the office of the court clerk is a life lesson you won’t get anywhere else! The very helpful ladies pulled two probate packets for me- one from 1933 and one from 1941. I made myself comfortable at the side counter and read them and made notes for over an hour and then waited while they copied the most important ones for me. In the meantime I heard bits and pieces of conversations as about a dozen people transacted business. Wow! There are troubles in the world that you really don’t want to think about. I will pray long and hard tonight and I will also be very thankful for my blessings.

Oh, back to the will and probate papers. LOTS of information for my next book- names and dates and property records that I needed. I am so thankful to the women at the Bryan County Genealogy Library for teaching me how to do research! They have coached me for many years. I stopped by for a few minutes to show them the will and to copy a couple of funeral records.

On my way home I encountered more road construction, this time directly in front of the house. This is the third time this week I’ve had to wait somewhere for the “okay” to proceed down the road. And each time it has been on a different road! At least we know there are a lot of repairs being done!

Still found time for my nap this afternoon. Hope you rested and stayed cool!

This year the meal will be served in the rock community building. You can eat and visit while staying cool and comfortable!

Serving will begin after the parade. $6 for tasty BBQ and you will be helping us raise funds for future projects.Be sure to invite your friends and family! And don’t forget the silent auction- we always have wonderful bargains.

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday to pick up some photos and was shocked to see employees filling the school supply shelves! The school lists are in their little slots and the familiar bins of glue sticks, erasers, rulers, and crayons are in their usual places. Huge stacks of paper were being unloaded from pallets. Already?

I rounded the next aisle, and there stood one of my parents from last year making her selections. I guess it is time to start switching gears. Time for Mrs. Maurer to start making a list and checking it twice. No matter how many years I teach I’m always fearful that I’ll forget something essential for the first week. I never do…but there is always a first time.

Even though I will be eager for school to start by the time we go through three more weeks of numbing heat, I can’t help but panic a bit over what I have yet to accomplish here at home. I still have several writing projects to finish, a major filing cabinet overhaul that is one-third complete, one closet left to clean, and two photo projects I want to do. Of course the resumption of teaching doesn’t mean the end of any and all home projects- it just means I will reorder my priorities, and home projects will once again be at the bottom of the list, where they progress very slowly.

Seeing the school supply lists also makes me thankful that I no longer have children in school. Supplies get more expensive each year and parents with several children can go into debt very quickly. My colleagues and I try to keep our list to the bare minimum.

Just a couple of personal notes. I did find a home for the bird. One of our local residents has several big birds and was happy to take him, with the caveat that the owner could still claim him. I just couldn’t see him fitting into our lifestyle of cats and fish. It has been decades since I have raised birds. But I do remember that the bigger ones demand more care, with social time being a high priority. They also have special diet requirements. So he is much better off with someone who knows what she is doing.

Of course I missed two great photo opportunities this morning while I was watering. It was very early when I went out so I didn’t take the camera with me. The first missed photo was one of my usual morning “bunny buddy” eating leaves off the cantaloupes! He is always outside near the garden when I go out in the morning, but this is the first time I’ve seen him bother the cantaloupe plant. And he didn’t feel the least bit guilty! He let me walk within three feet of him before he grabbed a big leaf, hopped over to the pasture side of the fence, and then turned to watch me while he ate it!

A few minutes later I put the hose down and pulled a large weed, only to find that a very cute baby bunny was sitting next to it! He hopped a few feet away, looked up at me, and then got lost in the tangle of Shasta daisies at the base of the bird feeder. By the time I got the camera off the table he was gone. I’ll take the camera out in the morning and look for him in the same spot since animals visit the same feeding areas each day.

I understand we are very close to breaking a record for summer days over 100 degrees. Our average is usually about 15 and we are already at 13. Ouch!

It was only minutes after we got the cockatiel settled and fed that I saw the raccoon helping himself to the bird feeders outside my kitchen window. One of my feeders is a tribute to recycling- an old satellite pole, the bottom of an oscillating fan, and an old broom. The birds love it because they can land on the broom and break off pieces for their nests. I like it because it is sturdy enough to withstand the antics of the raccoons. My previous “store bought” platform feeder was on the ground each night. This guy apparently prefers sunflower seeds over dog food because while he was dining here, the rabbit was eating the dog food I had left for him. (The photos have an odd color cast because they were taken through a screen.)

And of course if one feeder has something good, then surely the next will be even better! You may notice my feeble attempts to make that one “raccoon resistant” by placing a pizza pan under the pie pan. LOL He simply bent the edge of it down about two days after I put it up last year.

Our bird guest is still sleeping this morning. 4am is not his usual time to awaken and I read that cockatiels need 10-12 hours of sleep. So he “talked” to me briefly when I got up, and then promptly went back to dozing. I will put up a couple of notices this morning and try to locate his owner.

Almost afraid to go out and water the garden this morning! Who knows who or WHAT might be out there!

Well, I told Gary I didn’t post a blog today because I was having a rather dull day. God took care of that this afternoon! LOL I went out to feed the cats and heard a strange noise coming from the tree. I spotted a bird I couldn’t identify and went back inside for the camera. I took a few shots, which aren’t terribly great, but I was surprised that the bird didn’t try to get away. I finally said, “You belong to someone don’t you!” And it immediately flew toward me and landed on my shoulder!! I have to admit it scared me at first, but it seemed to be pretty calm. I walked with him to the door, knocked on it to get Gary’s attention, and had him get the cat carrier- the only “cage” we own. Poor Gary got a painful bite in the process of transferring the bird to the cage for me. Now the little guy is happily munching bird seed.

However, the point of this is that it is obviously a runaway, or I should say “flyaway” pet, so if you live in Bryan county and recognize him please contact me!